What are state lawmakers doing that actually affects your daily life? Lots! Find out with Front Door Politics: jargon-free, non-advocacy state house news at www.frontdoorpolitics.com.

next stops for Northern Pass: Opponents of the proposed Northern Pass transmission line were out in full force on March 9 for public hearings on two bills that could change—or derail—the project.

The House Science, Energy and Technology Committee met in Representatives Hall to consider two measures:

• House Bill 648, sponsored by Rep. Laurence Rappaport (R-Colebrook), denying all eminent domain petitions to any large-scale transmission project 

• House Bill 649, sponsored by Rep. Rick Ladd (R-Haverhill), establishing guidelines for regional planning commissions to do separate economic and social impact studies on the Northern Pass project

In its current incarnation, Northern Pass calls for building 140 miles of direct-current transmission line in New Hampshire, from the Canadian border to a converter terminal in Franklin (the terminal would convert Canadian direct current application to American alternating current). The 1,200 megawatts of Canadian hydro-power would then be sent to a substation in Deerfield and connected to the New England power grid. An estimated 45 miles of new right-of-way agreements would be needed in the North Country for 135-foot-tall transmission towers, to be spaced about 800 feet apart.

Opponents, such as the organization Bury the Northern Pass, say the privately financed project will mar the landscape, drive down property values and generate little economic benefit beyond the converter station. Passions ran high last month when a hearing about changing the state’s renewable energy portfolio standards to include large-scale hydro-power was seen as an endorsement of the Northern Pass project. Dozens of people showed up to speak against Northern Pass, and the related bill did not make it out of committee.

If it goes forward, the Northern Pass transmission lines would be built, owned and maintained by Northern Pass Transmission LLC, a subsidiary of Northeast Utilities (which also owns Public Service of New Hampshire). On the Canadian side, Hydro Renewable Energy Inc. (a subsidiary of Hydro-Quebec) would pay transmission fees to Northern Pass Transmission. —Michael McCord

skipping the line at DMV: Is New Hampshire ready for Electronic Vehicle Registration? Sen. Andy Sanborn (R-Henniker) thinks so. He says it’s long overdue, and he’s gathered 18 co-sponsors for a bill that could dramatically change the car registration routine for New Hampshire residents.

The Senate Commerce Committee held a public hearing on Senate Bill 156 on March 11. If implemented, the measure would give New Hampshire consumers the choice to electronically register their vehicle at the time of purchase—and bypass the need to register at their town or city hall or at the local Division of Motor Vehicles. The dealer would collect the registration and other fees and electronically transmit them to appropriate towns and cities.

Sanborn, a freshman senator and Commerce Committee member, tells Front Door Politics that the bill includes a year-long pilot program with one vendor and a small number of participating dealerships and municipalities to determine how the program works and what improvements it needs. The voluntary program assumes no cost to the state, as third party vendors will set hardware and software for the Department of Safety, participating municipalities and dealers. Dealers would be charged a fee from the vendor for each registration transaction, and dealers will be allowed to charge customers for the convenience.

“This is new, better and more efficient,” Sanborn says. “We want to bring all the players together and take the next year to see if it will work and does what it says it will.”

Peter McNamara, president of the New Hampshire Auto Dealers Association, says his organization supports the bill in part because it allows dealers to provide a service to time-starved customers. The association did a survey that found the average clerk’s office was open 28 hours per week in New Hampshire.

“In nearly all states, consumers can register their vehicle at dealerships, and in 27 states, they can register electronically,” McNamara says.

Some New Hampshire communities currently allow residents to electronically renew their vehicles’ registration through a program called E-Reg. Senate Bill 156 would change the process for newly purchased vehicles.

Sanborn has added an amendment to give town and city clerks more input into the program through an advisory committee. He’s also confident that the bill, which is supported by the state DMV, will have a positive vote in committee and also pass the Senate. —Michael McCord